Riding the Fence

     Ever heard someone say "I'm on the fence about this"?  It means he is torn between two directions.  It means he is doubleminded.  It means he is in the valley of decision.  It means he is going nowhere.  Stay on that fence and soon that fence becomes the platform for your existences.  In politics, this is called a "moderate". And, in truth, a moderate is one with no convictions about anything.  Just a fence rider.  In the Bible this same person is called "lukewarm".  Oh, he can just float either way, so flexible, so non-offensive, so mild.  Problem? God doesn't like this character.  He promised a divine up-chuck, otherwise known as "spew" (King James for up-chuck).

      Fence riders get tangled up in the fence. They can't walk in truly strong faith, or exhibit convictions with fire in them, for they are stuck on the fence. Strong faith confronnts.  Strong Holy Ghost manifestations confronts. And, on the fence, playing both sides means we do nothing to offend one side or the other which means that essentially, we do nothing.  We may look like we are, but in fact we are not.  We tailor, redefine, being creative in our appoach so that we can say we believe, or pretend we are doing, in such a way as to not offened one group or the other.  That, my friend is the condition of much of the church.  Every thing is tailored to please the most and offend the least.  Fence riders!

      We have an idea about Jesus that he is luv-luv-luv, and would never offend.  Yet, He said He came to offend.  I have found that without offending the mind, the spirit seldom wakes up and receives.  Strong faith offends.  Strong Holy Ghost manifestations offend. Good! Good! Good!   This is not a club, this church of Jesus, it is a place where the power and presence of God, the power and presence of the anointing of the Holy Ghost, the power and presence of strong, bold, faith filled preaching will offend, and then it will set free.

      The problem with fence riders is that they eventually become "census" takers. They measure success and strength by the number of heads counted.  David did that once and God was grieved and David was in a heap of trouble  The census takers says "oh look we have a thousand in church".  Of course, he bands with other census takers so they can compare and rejoice over numbers.  When the census takers get big enough, they just self-perpetuate simply on the basis that people are drawn to a crowd.  I had a pastor, who at the time had 6000 plus in three different services tell me "I could have a thousand or two stay home or drop out and I wouldn't miss them. I don't know them anyway".    Is that really a good thing?  When he was small, about 800, I used to go in an preach HOly Ghost baptism.  Not any more.  Too big.  Too much trouble, plus it might offend.    Is that a good thing?

     A lot of folks, even those claiming Spirit-filled, Pentecostal status are riding the fence about being baptized in the Holy Ghsot with speaking in tongues.  They are on the fence about yielding to the anointing, presence and gifts of the Holy Ghost. They want it, but not at the cost of a successful census.  Word to the wise?  Better get off the fence!   What started in a blaze of glory is going to end that way.  The church has not evolved into a fence-riding, lukewarm spectacle.  God will fire it up.  Acts two is the Genesis of the story. It is a picture of what God created and He made no mistake.  Holy Ghost baptism and fire is the ministry of the resurrected LORD!  Will it offend?  Yes, but so be it.  Fire!